Paying for dental work abroad

Going abroad to get high-quality private dental treatment or cosmetic surgery is increasingly popular nowadays, with a single tooth implant now costing upwards of £2,000 per tooth in the UK.

Even adding in the cost of flights, luxury accommodation and extra ‘holiday’ costs, the whole package for dental implants abroad can still work out far cheaper than private dental treatment in the UK especially when you can make fee-free international money transfers.

Why go abroad for dental treatment?

If you need urgent, necessary dental treatment like an extraction or a filling, then the NHS of course provide it. However, more expensive dental treatment such as dental implants, crowns, root canal surgery or veneers can be cheaper abroad than done domestically via the NHS - up to 50-70% cheaper, according to some estimates. For cosmetic changes like teeth whitening, private dental care can usually be found far cheaper in overseas clinics than in the UK.

Where to go for dental treatment?

Poland, Hungary and Slovakia for dental treatment

Hungary, Slovakia and Poland tend to be the most popular destinations for dental tourism, with state-of-the-art clinics costing a fraction of what it would cost in the UK, mainly because the cost of living there is so much cheaper. Many people also deciding to combine their trip with a relaxing vacation in spas and mountain retreats to ‘sleep off’ the treatment before they go back.

Checks before your choose dental treatment abroad

The NHS recommends that you do your research to make sure the clinic you choose is the right one for you.

Keep your own dentist informed on what you’re doing, as their knowledge of your medical and dental history is important to help the overseas clinic make a plan for you.

Check that the dentists treating you are properly qualified; look into what people on the web have said about them.

Ask any questions you have about your treatment before you go

Ask them to give you all the documentation in English in case you need aftercare back home

Check if your travel or health insurance will give you any cover if anything were to go wrong

How to pay for dental work abroad

Most clinics will accept cash and major credit cards, though bear in mind that unless you have a specialist credit or debit card for overseas use, then cash withdrawals, bank fees and currency conversion at the point of payment may add as much as 5% to the total cost you pay - which if you’re paying in the thousands, can be quite significant.

Bank transfer can work out cheaper, and with UK banks charging up to £40 per transaction the cheapest way to send money abroad is usually with specialist foreign currency transfer companies.

Avoid expensive fees when sending money abroad for dental work with Telegraph International Money Transfer service

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